mweir145 wrote:I'm going to be brutally honest here, I hate watching Joba pitch. Does he have to pump his fist after every strikeout? He annoys me even more than those 2 you just named, and that's saying something.

You do realize he doesn't do this for any other reason other than he's enjoying the game right? He's not doing it because he knows it annoys mweir. He's not doing it because he thinks it annoys the other team. He's not doing it because he thinks it intimidates the other team. And he doesn't do it because he thinks it shows up the other team. He does it because he's a competitor and he gets that adrenaline flowing. Shame on him for not thinking how that may be perceived by Jays fans.

I guess I should add that his motivation behind doing it isn't important to me at all.

mweir145 wrote:I'm going to be brutally honest here, I hate watching Joba pitch. Does he have to pump his fist after every strikeout? He annoys me even more than those 2 you just named, and that's saying something.

You do realize he doesn't do this for any other reason other than he's enjoying the game right? He's not doing it because he knows it annoys mweir. He's not doing it because he thinks it annoys the other team. He's not doing it because he thinks it intimidates the other team. And he doesn't do it because he thinks it shows up the other team. He does it because he's a competitor and he gets that adrenaline flowing. Shame on him for not thinking how that may be perceived by Jays fans.

I guess I should add that his motivation behind doing it isn't important to me at all.

mweir145 wrote:Of course it is. Just as yours is. I'm not obligated to like watching him pitch, and I really don't mind that you do.

It wasn't my point that you don't like to watch him pitch. It was my point that you didn't like his enthusiasm when he accomplishes something which is disappointing considering you're a baseball fan. We need more of this, not fans focused on their petty pet-peeves. Were you as vocal when Ozzie Smith did a flip on his way out to the field? Was that bad for the game? It's a competition. When you nail a 20 foot putt do you idly walk up and take the ball out of the cup without a word or gesture? I suppose I feel sorry for you if you do.

mweir145 wrote:Of course it is. Just as yours is. I'm not obligated to like watching him pitch, and I really don't mind that you do.

It wasn't my point that you don't like to watch him pitch.

But that was my only point from the beginning. Everything else is quite trivial really, but since you seem to want to argue about this...

It was my point that you didn't like his enthusiasm when he accomplishes something which is disappointing considering you're a baseball fan. We need more of this, not fans focused on their petty pet-peeves. Were you as vocal when Ozzie Smith did a flip on his way out to the field? Was that bad for the game? It's a competition. When you nail a 20 foot putt do you idly walk up and take the ball out of the cup without a word or gesture? I suppose I feel sorry for you if you do.

I'm perfectly fine with enthusiasm on the field of play in sports. However, this is baseball. There are certain unwritten "rules" a player must follow.

What do you think would happen if a hitter made a big show like Joba does after a home run? It's pretty simple, the next time he would come up he would get hit. Showing up an opposing player is just something you don't do. It's seen as "bush." Why is it okay when a pitcher does the same thing?

It doesn't matter what Joba's motivation behind doing his fist pumps is. It can still be easily construed as an attempt to show up the batter (and it has been by many). Despite this criticism, he has continued to do this. He should find a better way to channel his enthusiasm than the fist pumps, but again, it's only my opinion, and seemingly it's not a very popular one.

mweir145 wrote:What do you think would happen if a hitter made a big show like Joba does after a home run? It's pretty simple, the next time he would come up he would get hit. Showing up an opposing player is just something you don't do. It's seen as "bush." Why is it okay when a pitcher does the same thing?

What would happen if a hitter made a big show like Joba?!?! I'm not trying to get into an argument here...because everytime I do a moderator sends me a pm warning me...but honestly, have you seen ANYONE lately?! So jr griffey and sosa and manny get to do their little hop-skip and a jump, but chamberlein doesn't get to pump his fist when he gets a clutch strikeout?! He doesn't pump his fist when it doesn't matter...he does it when it counts...as in a one run game, a man on, and a 3-2 count. IMO, you're allowed to pump your fist... same way you're allowed to stare at a hr for 5 seconds, and the same way you're allowed to jump over the foul line after pitching a good inning while en route to the dugout. Don't get me wrong, I HATE the Yankees, but I know a good ballplayer when I see one, and although he hasn't earned jr.-sosa-manny status, Joba can pump his fist all he wants as long as he keeps keeping his team in the game and k'ing people at a ridiculous rate. By the way, this isn't a knock on you, this is a knock on society...if baseball has unwritten rules, then tell all of the players with dreads and braids to cut their d*mn hair (again, edited so I don't get warned). If Soria or K-Rod pumped their fists, you wouldn't hear a thing about it. I wonder why.

Mod Edited

July 4th, 4:51 pm: Big Pelf is going to be an all out star...Pick him up before someone else does.

He should find a better way to channel his enthusiasm than the fist pumps

Enthusiasm is great for the game. You have said that you agree with this but you think he should find a way to show it without doing a fist pump. Do you want him to do cart-wheels on the field after a strikeout or what do you suggest? Doing a fist pump is not showing up another player, it is just pumping yourself up.

I was a pitcher for as long as I can remember - and I would consider fist pumping after a strikeout to be the equivalent of standing there after hitting the ball and pumping your fist as it goes over the fence. An act that pitchers throw at guys for.

I hate everything that hitters do. Put the bat down and run to first. Just as I would say to another pitcher - just pitch. It is classless to do something like that. I'm okay with the "i just got a big out to wiggle out of a huge jam" excitement - especially if the out is made on a big play by a teammate. But if you K someone to end the inning, just run off the field. It serves the same pump up purpose, without showing up the other player.

I would never pump my fist after a strikeout, and wouldn't even let a teammate do it. Enjoying the game is great, but there are much better ways to do it.

(P.s. it also makes you seem more intimidating to just walk off as though it was nothing)

KRod literally freaks out when he saves a game. Kirk Gibson pumped his fist all the way around the bases in '88. I recall a certain Blue Jay that skipped his way around the bases after winning a World Series game. Are these acceptable because the game is over? Where is the line drawn? Let everyone know so they won't get in trouble for being happy before they're supposed to.